Lactic Acid Bacteria Recipe

Just read, "Lactic Acid Bacteria Recipe" in Acres, vol 40, no 5. The author wrote, 'Lactic acid bacteria are anaerobic microorganisms that have a low pH of 2. They can survive with or without oxygen and withstand high temperatures. They are very effective in improving soil aeration and dissolve chelates or minerals in the soil, freeing them up for plants to absorb. When plants absorb lactic acid it increases their disease and rain tolerance." It then gives the following recipe:
Wash rice, save the water.
Fill a jar 8 inches with the water.
Cover it with paper and set it in a dark spot for a week.
It will give a sour smell when done.
Add it to milk, ideally raw milk, at a 10:1 ratio.
In 5-7 days the milk will have separated.
Remove the floating stuff and save the liquid (the lactic acid bacteria preparation).
It can be stored in a fridge, or mixed with equal parts brown sugar and stored at room temp.
The bacteria is diluted 1000 times It can combined with IMOs, which are mostly aerobic and sprayed on fields. It is also used in compost, livestock water, and to water plants.

Wow! That's awesome.
Good to know.
Do you know if something other than milk can be used? (We don't drink milk, so we don't keep any around. Though I suppose I could get some from my neighbor...)
I am definitely trying this on my blackberries! The alkalinity of the soil here binds up iron, which they need to survive. This is far better than having to amend with chelated iron, if it works.
Do you know how often it needs to be applied?